Digital Interventions Used by Nurses in Pediatric Palliative Care: a scoping review protocol

Globally, it is estimated that more than 21 million children require pediatric palliative care (PPC) annually, with prevalence increasing due to therapeutic advances that prolong survival in Globally, it is estimated that over 21 million children require pediatric palliative care (PPC) annually, with prevalence increasing due to therapeutic advances that prolong survival in complex conditions (Downing et al., 2025). Nurses hold a central position within the healthcare team while maintaining close proximity to both child and family, positioning them ideally to deliver humanized, holistic care in pediatric palliative care settings. In recent years, digital health technologies have expanded significantly. Digital health interventions encompass information and communication systems (eHealth), telemedicine platforms, videoconferencing, mobile applications, and other digital tools that enable bidirectional communication between healthcare professionals, children, and families, as well as remote monitoring, education, and support for clinical decision-making. The literature demonstrates that digital tools enhance communication, information sharing, education, and decision-making. Finucane et al. (2021) highlight the potential of digital health interventions to support integrated, person- and family-centered approaches in palliative care. Additionally, digital technologies offer substantial potential to overcome geographical and temporal barriers, enabling more accessible monitoring and care delivery, particularly for families requiring frequent healthcare team contact (Ramos, 2023). Given the unique context of pediatric palliative care, digital interventions represent tremendous potential as resources supporting nurses' care delivery. In PPC, their integration should be understood not merely as technical innovation but as a means to enhance comfort and well-being for children and families. These interventions can thus be conceptualized as care strategies employed by nurses to promote comfort—alleviating discomfort, providing safety and well-being, and supporting coping capacity in adversity—thereby operationalizing Kolcaba's comfort theory principles. Given the topic's relevance and the absence of systematized evidence, this review study addresses the research question: "What digital interventions are used by nurses in pediatric palliative care?" The objective is to map these interventions in PPC contexts, consolidate available evidence, guide future practice, and identify gaps to inform subsequent research and digital health policy development. A structured synthesis of knowledge will enable nurses, healthcare managers, and researchers to better understand digital interventions' potential in PPC and plan more consistent, safe, and child- and family-centered approaches. The proposed scoping review will follow the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI, 2024).